Cristiano Ronaldo's mother, Dolores Aveiro, has admitted she cried after her son's controversial exit from the Portuguese national team camp. For the first time, she spoke about the emotional blow she experienced and did not hide how deeply the situation upset her.
The 41-year-old Al Nassr striker left camp after a clash with coach Jorge Jesus. Tensions escalated after Ronaldo was an unused substitute for the entire 90 minutes of the 2-1 victory over Norway in the Nations League.
The footballer later explained his decision with a "broken trust" between him and the coach. In a detailed statement, he outlined his point of view and severely criticized Jesus. The incident has sparked a storm of reactions in Portugal, including in political circles.
It is still unclear whether Cristiano Ronaldo will play for the national team again.
“I am sad, it is completely normal. It was a shock. My son could have left through the front door, but instead he left through the back door. But it doesn't matter - God will take care of everything“, 71-year-old Dolores Aveiro told Portuguese magazine TV 7 Dias.
The football star's mother admitted that she could not hold back her tears.
“I cried a little. Sometimes it is good to release your emotions. Now we have to get over what happened“, she said.
After leaving the camp, Ronaldo and his mother spoke on the phone. The footballer assured her that there was no reason to worry.
„He told me: „Mom, don't worry. I'll tell the truth when we're all together“. I replied: „Okay, my son, try to fix things“. That was all“, Dolores revealed.
She stressed that she was completely behind her son, although she was unable to convince him to stay on the team.
„I advised him to stay calm, but he did what his heart told him. We'll see what happens. I supported him completely, but it didn't help. It doesn't matter. "He has given so much to Portugal and has always been a hero for his country," said the striker's mother.
According to Dolores Aveiro, her compatriots do not give enough importance to Ronaldo's contribution to the national team. Recently, the footballer's sister - Elma Aveiro, publicly defended him on social networks.
Cristiano Ronaldo made his debut for Portugal in 2003 and has so far scored 146 goals in 234 matches for the national team. Under his captaincy, the Portuguese won the European Championship in 2016, winning the first major international trophy in the country's history.